Smith loses battle, wins respect
   
   It was not the first time junior center Aiysha Smith had faced Vanderbilt center Chantelle Anderson.
And it certainly will not be the last.
But when Smith suited up against Anderson on Sunday, the two were quite familiar with each other. Both had played against each other this past summer and both respected each other as players.
On Sunday, Anderson won the battle. Not only did her team come out on the winning side, but she had 28 points, leading all scorers, compared to Smith’s 16. Smith also had six rebounds and three assists.
However, Smith won the respect of LSU players and coaches, if she had not done so already.
“I thought Aiysha played as hard as you could play for 40 minutes,” said Tiger head coach Sue Gunter. “I thought she hung in there well. I thought she played very well. She’s a very gifted player. I thought she did some good things on Sunday.”
The 6-foot-2 Smith said guarding the 6-foot-6 Anderson was no easy task. She said Anderson’s height advantage of four inches makes a big difference down on the low block.
“She’s a pretty big girl,” Smith said. “I tried to battle her. She’s one of the best players in the conference. To play one of the best is an accomplishment. I think I played well. I’ll make some adjustments next time.”
And there will be a next time as the Tigers are scheduled to hit the road and travel to Nashville, Tenn., on Feb. 14 to take on Vandy in a rematch.
But Smith does not have much to hang her head about. She was named Miss Basketball in her home state of Michigan her senior year of high school. Most recently, she was named a Kodak First-Team All-American selection while spending her sophomore year at Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas.
Originally, Smith attended St. John’s University in New York City, where she opened her college career impressively averaging 9.5 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. However, a coaching change pushed her in the direction of Tyler JC.
“A situation came up where new coaches took over,” Smith said. “It wasn’t the best situation for me, so I needed to find something better.”
Gunter remembers the first time she saw Smith play at Tyler. She said her versatility made her an attractive candidate to join the Lady Tiger squad.
“Her floor speed [impressed me],” Gunter said. “She runs the floor well and she’s a very accomplished player. Her skills are varied, but her ball-handling skills [also impress me].”
Smith said the favorite part of her game is not running the floor or her ability to handle the ball, but to post up on the low block. She joked that her recent struggles with traveling violations led her to this observation.
“Posting down on the block,” Smith said. “[I’m] trying to draw some fouls so I can go to the foul line and shoot some free throws. I’m a good foul shooter.”
Smith landed in Baton Rouge last semester and said she likes the situation. Indeed, her numbers (15.1 points and 7.4 rebounds) show this.
However, her consistency in the first seven games of the Southeastern Conference season, where she has averaged 16.0 points and nine rebounds a game, illustrates this even more.
“I think she’s beginning to feel like a part of the offense,” Gunter said. “She’s a very graceful player. She’s beginning to feel what it’s like to play in the SEC.”
Smith said she has found a family with the Lady Tiger basketball team and has grown close with the coaches.
“The coaches have improved my game tremendously,” Smith said. “They encourage me to shoot the ball and go rebound. It’s just like home. We’re a very close team. Whenever somebody’s got a problem, we’re always here for one another.”
Gunter said teammates think highly of Smith. She said even though Smith plays well within the team, she has the ability to take on a more prominent role in a game.
“She’s well liked,” Gunter said. “She’s very laid back and easy going. She’s one that kind of does her own thing. She’s a team player, but one to take the load when she needs to.”
One can bet Smith will take on the load of taking on Anderson and her Vanderbilt teammates once again.
Chris Gibson